Handbag fastener structure



Jan. 18, 1938, P. UPHAM HANDBAG FASTENER STRUCTURE Filed May lOJ 1955 @vega/Law @S5022 @Z1/705m f y My Patented Jan. 18, 1938 UNIED crier;

HANDBAG FASTENER. STRUCTURE Application May 10,1935, Serial No. 20,741

5 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in the frames for handbags and the like containers and in the fasteners for the same.

In the drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of my invention:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my improved handbag in closed position;

Fig. 2 is a front plan view of my improved handbag in closed position;

Fig. 3 is a section taken along the line 3 3 of Fig. 2 showing my improved frame construction;

Fig. 4 is a cross-section of one of my improved bag frames showing the side Walls of the frame in position to receive the covering material;

Fig. 5 is a plan View of one member of my improved fastening means;

Fig. 6 is a section taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; and l Fig. '7 is a section taken along the line l-I of Fig. 2.

Referring first to my improved frame construction, as illustrated in Figs. l through 4, I have shown a handbag I (Figs. 1 and 2) having front and rear side walls 2 and 3, which may be formed of any suitable fabric or material, and a fastening means 4 for holding the side falls' in closed position. 'I'he free edges of the upper portions of the covering material are secured in two rigid channel frame members 5 and 6 (Figs. 2 and 3), which are preferably formed of sheet metal in any usual manner and secured together at their free ends by any suitable means which will permit a movement of one frame relative to the other, as by a pivotal movement well known to those skilled in the art.

In Figs. 3 and 4 I have illustrated an improved frame structure of the U-shaped cross-section type open at its outer end to receive the covering material l of the side walls 2 and 3. Each of the frame structures 5 and 6, in my preferred form, are provided with an outer wall 8, an inner wall 9 and a base portion I0 connecting the two walls. The outer wall 8 has a flange means II integral therewith and extending inwardly from the upper edge at substantially right angles to the outer Wall.

Fig. 4 shows my improved frame in a form adapted for first receiving the covering material. In this form the outer wall 8 is bent away from the inner wall 9 so that the plane of the outer Wall will form an obtuse angle with the plane of the base portion I0.

To assemble the bag material 'I with my improved frame construction, the material is brought over the outer wall of each of the frame members 5 and 6 and located between the outer and inner walls of the frame members. The outer walls 8 are then bent toward the inner walls until in nal position, in my preferred form, they will be substantially parallel to the inner walls 5 as shown in Fig. 3. As a result of this action, the material will be securely gripped between the walls of the frame members and the flan-ges II will cause the material to project over the inner walls 9 which, in order to carry out my inven- 10 tion, have been made shorter than the outer walls 8, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Therefore, a Very attractive appearance will be given to the handbag because when the frame members are secured together by the fastening means 4 the bag matel5 rial will completely conceal all portions of the bag frame from View.

The improved fastening means, which I have illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, and '7, comprises a pair of elements I2 and I3, each of which are secured 20 between the walls of one of the frame members 5 and B, and an attaching member I4 which is hinged to one of the elementsv and adapted to swing over the top of the bag frame and have fastening engagement with the other element. 25

In Fig. 6, I have shown one of the elements I2 and I3 made of sheet metal and having a strip IE located between the frame walls 8 and 9 and spot-welded or otherwise secured to the frame base portion It. A pair of ngers Iiia integral with the strip l5 extend outwardly'from each-end of the strip in my preferred form through the outer wall 8 and the covering material 'I which have been provided with apertures for this purpose. Each of the ngers Ia terminates in a hol- 35 low bearing I6 which in final position is located exterior to the handbag (Fig. 5). Each of the elements I2 and I3 is formed in substantially the same manner.

The attaching means Ill is U-shaped in crosssection having two spaced side walls and a wall connecting the same. Integral with the free end of one of the side walls Il is a series of hollow bearings I8 adapted to be hingedly connected with the bearings I6 integral with the element I3, the pin I9 passes through all the bearings and acts as a pivot upon which the bearings of the attaching means Ili may turn.

The free end of the opposite side wall 20 has been turned back on its inside face for a short distance, and to the inside surface of this doubled-over portion, I have attached a bar-shaped engaging means 2l which runs the width of the side wall and in a direction parallel to the line of the bearings I6 integral with the element I2.

CII

In order to secure the side walls of the handbag together, the attaching means I4 is swung over the top of the handbag until the engaging means 2I has slipped over the bearings I of the element I2 and reached a position beneath the bearings IE, as shown in Fig. '71, at which point it will frictionally engage the bearings until purposely disengaged from its seat. As a result of this fastening means, the side Walls 2 and 3 will be rmly clamped together, and due to the fact that the bearings I6 have been brought through the bag material in the manner described above, no portion of the frame will be exposed to View while the bag is in the closed position. Furthermore, this makes a decorative type of fastening means for handbags and the like.

As a means for swinging the member I4 back and forth upon its hinge, I have provided, in my preferred form, an ornamental knob member 22 which has been attached to the outer surface of the connecting wall 23, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Although the foregoing is descriptive of the preferred embodiments of the invention, it is apparent that changes may be made in the constructions without departing from the scope of my invention. For this reason I prefer to limit `myself only by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A fastening means for a bag frame having a pair of channel-shaped frame members hinged together at their ends, said fastening means securing the two frames together, and comprising an element fastened within one of said frame members and extending through the outer side wall thereof and a cooperating U-shaped fastening member pivotally attached to the other of said frame members and constructed for fastening engagement with said element. l 2. A fastening means for a bag frame having a pair of channel-shaped frame members hinged together at their ends, said fastening means securing the two frames together, and comprising a fastener-supporting element attached within one of said frame members and extending through the outer wall of said frame member below the upper edge thereof, a fastener member hinged to said element, and a cooperating fastening member secured to the other of said frame members, said cooperating member adapted for fastening engagement with said fastener member.

3. A fastening means for a bag frame having a pair of channel shaped frame members hinged together at their ends, said fastening means securing the two frames together, said fastening means having a fastener-supporting element secured within one of said frame members and extending through the outer wall of said frame member below the upper edge thereof and a swingable member bridging the upper edges of the frame and having one portion hingedly connected to said element and another portion adapte-d to engage with a cooperating fastener member, said cooperating member being attached to the other of said frame members.

4. A fastening means for a bag frame having a pair of channel shaped frame members hinged together at their ends, said fastening means securing the two frames together, said fastening means having a fastenersupporting element fastened within one of said frame members and extending through the outer wall of said frame member, a swingable U-shaped member having two upstanding spaced side walls, one of said side walls being hingedly connected to said element, the other of said side walls having means for fastening engagement with a cooperating member, said cooperating member being attached within the other of said frame members and extending through the outer wall of said other frame member.

5. A fastening means for a bag frame having a pair of channel shaped frame members hinged together at their ends, and said fastening means securing the two frames together, said fastening means having a frictional engaging member attached within one of said frame members and, extending through the outer wall of said frame.

tening engagement with said frictional engaging E5 member, and a part attached to said U-shaped clasp member for the purpose of disengaging said clasp from locked position.

PRESTON UPHAM. 

